There's no reason why they can't be cut from 3/8 inch stainless rod. I made mine and used them for the life of the boat in my hands. There's a ton of force on the rudder, especially if you run lots of rake, as you should if you're racing. One night I tried a little more rake and snapped the rudder in half. The pins held up OK though. If you trail the boat with the rudders on (don't) the aluminum ones wear out pretty quick.

Not all stainless steel rod stock is good quality.Use a magnet to see if what your looking at using is the right stuff.If the stainless is magnetic it may be a poorer quality.I use 316 stainless for my projects.Good luck,Bill 404 21SE